Pressures on natural resources - 4
Water extraction and waterway modification
Catchments and waterways in the ACT are managed with the aim of achieving sustainable and appropriate water conditions. An increasing emphasis is being placed on improved design and management of urban stormwater systems to reduce urban impacts on water quality (e.g. by installing gross pollutant traps, water quality control ponds, wetlands and vegetated fl oodways).
Extraction of ground and surface water to supply urban and rural residents and industry will continue to place pressure of the natural waterways of the ACT and neighbouring NSW. Both excessive run-off and pollutants (e.g. hydrocarbon, herbicides, pesticides and nutrients) also pose a significant threat to the health of rivers and streams and continuing vigilance is required to counter these threats (see Targets in Part 4 for more information).
Challenge: The challenge is to achieve an integrated approach to catchment management through a range of measures including:
- development controls
- controls on water abstraction
- licensing of end of pipe discharges
- regulation of non-point source discharges through erosion and sediment control plans and
- safe control of stormwater so that its best use in
environmental and municipal terms is achieved, while water
quality is not compromised.
Plant pests of the ACT (Pest Plants and Animals Declaration 2005 (No 1))
Plants
Broad-kernel espartillo (Achnatherum caudatum), alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), cabomba (Cabomba caroliniana), spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa), horsetail (Equisetum spp.), Senegal tea plant (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides), kochia (Kochia scoparia), lagarosiphon (Lagarosiphon major), parrot’s feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum), lobed & Chilean needlegrass (Nassella charruana, N. neesiana), Mexican feather grass (N. tenuissima), serrated tussock (N. trichotoma), parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus), water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), salvinia (Salvinia molesta), fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis), Rhus tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum), thistles (Carduus nutans, C. pycnocephalus, C. tenuiflorus, C. lanatus, Onopordum acanthium, O. illyricum), broom species (all Cytisus & Genista species), African boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum), sweet briar (also known as briar rose) (Rosa rubiginosa), willows (all Salix spp. excluding S. babylonica, S. x calodendron & S. x reichardtii), gorse (Ulex europaeus), Noogoora & Bathurst burr (Xanthium occidentale, X. spinosum), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Paterson’s curse (Echium plantagineum), viper’s bugloss (E. vulgare), African love grass (Eragrostis curvula), St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum), radiata pine (Pinus radiata), all blackberry except for permitted cultivars (Rubus fruticosus , Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana), prickly acacia (Acacia nilotica ssp. indica), box elder Acer negundo), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), black alder (Alnus glutinosa), pond apple (Annona glabra), bridal creeper (Asparagus asparagoides), nettle tree (Celtis australis), bitou bush (also known as boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera), pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata, C. selloana), cotoneasters (Cotoneaster franchettii, C. glaucophyllus, C. pannosus, C. alicifolius, C. simonsii), rubber vine (Cryptostegia grandifl ora), water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes), English ivy (Hedera helix), hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexicaulis), lantana (Lantana camara), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica), broad- & narrow-leaf privet (Ligustrum lucidum, L. sinense), mimosa (Mimosa pigra), parkinsonia (Parkinsonia aculeata), yellow bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea), white & Lombardy poplars (Populus alba, P. nigra ‘Italica’), mesquite (Prosopis spp.), firethorn (Pyracantha angustifolia, P. coccinea, P. fortuneana), false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), service tree (also known as rowan) (Sorbus spp.), Spanish broom (Spartium junceum), Athel pine (Tamarix aphylla), periwinkle (Vinca major)
